l with a density scarcely ever
surpassed, as if the whole cloud mass of snow were descending bodily to
the earth. Added to this, the high wind drove the ice, which had
hitherto remained fixed to the shore, high up, directly down on the
ship, threatening every instant to cut her cables, when she must have
been driven on shore and lost.

"All hands on deck!" turned many a sleeper out of his hammock, where, if
not warm, he was not so cold as elsewhere. All night long the crew were
on deck, fending off the ice, which in huge masses came drifting down on
them.

"What do you think of this, Paddy?" asked Bruff.

"Why, by my faith, that when a thing is bad we have good reason to be
thankful that it's no worse," answered O'Grady. "Can anything be worse
than this?"

"Yes, indeed, a great deal worse," said Bruff.

The morning broke at length, and as it was evident that the ambassador
could not be landed at Cuxhaven, it was necessary to get out of the Elbe
without delay, that he might be put on shore on the coast of Holstein,
if possible.

The wind blew as strong as ever--a severe gale; but, the snow ceasing
partially, the pilot was enabled to see the land. The ship stood on
under one sail only--the utmost she could carry--a fore-topmast
stay-sail.

"Hurrah! we shall soon be out of this trap, and once more in the open
sea," exclaimed O'Grady. "So the pilot says."

"Are we well clear of the outer bank?" asked the captain.

The answer was in the affirmative; but it was scarcely given when the
ship struck heavily, and, her keel cutting the sand, she thus became, as
it seemed, firmly fixed. Then arose the cry from many mouths--

"We are lost! we are lost!"

"Silence!" exclaimed Captain Order; "until every effort has been made to
get her off, let no one under my command say that."

CHAPTER TWELVE.

When a captain finds his ship on shore, even though he is in no way to
blame, he feels as did Captain Order, that a great misfortune has
happened to him. No sooner was the _Proserpine's_ way stopped, than the
ice drifting down the river began to collect round her. Still the
captain did not despair of getting her off. The boats were hoisted out
for the purpose of carrying out an anchor to heave her off; but the ice
came down so thickly with the ebb, which had begun to make, that they
were again hoisted in, and all hands were employed in shoring up the
ship to prevent her falling over on her side. Scarcely was thi